Medical and personal data retrieval system

ABSTRACT

A system for confidentially retrieving data from a person, such as by authorized personnel. One embodiment provides a data carrier item such as jewelry, having encrypted data imparted upon the item in manner that is only intelligible after being unencrypted. Such data can be encrypted and/or invisibly disposed such that the data is not identifiable by the public, but can be quickly and accurately retrieved by authorized personnel.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 14/744,960 filedJun. 19, 2015 (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,224,182), which is a continuation ofU.S. Ser. No. 14/457,227 filed Aug. 12, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No.9,064,035), which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 11/536,817 filedSep. 29, 2006 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,819,837), which claims the benefit ofU.S. Prov. 60/721,705 filed Sep. 29, 2005, each of which is hereinincorporated in its entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the health care industry, and moreparticularly, to providing a mechanism for safely retrieving a person'smedical data and personal information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The statistics have proven that in emergency situations, many people aregiven improper medical treatment due to a lack of knowledge ormisunderstanding of a person's medical history. A person may beunconscious or in such a state that asking detailed medical questionswould be futile. Information about a person such as allergies anddiabetes could be vital to prompt and proper treatment. Emergencypersonnel and treating physicians may therefore lack important medicalconditions of a person and the treatment may complicate matters or befatal.

In addition to medical conditions, it is equally important to know thetype of prescription medications that a person may be taking. There area number of prescriptions that conflict such that the result couldeffectively cancel each other or in some instances the resultingconflict could be dangerous.

There have been many attempts to provide a patient with some mechanismto indicate important medical conditions or medications. Certain jewelryitems can include limited inform at ion such as name, emergencytelephone numbers and some very basic health status indicators. Not onlyis the amount of information limited, but it is visible to anyone,thereby making a person's confidential medical and personal datapublicly available.

There are other medical data mechanisms that list certain detailedinformation on emergency cards. However these cards may be hidden awayin a wallet or purse and it may be difficult to locate. It also may lookinappropriate for emergency personnel to be digging through the walletof an unconscious person.

Another system recognizes the confidential nature of the medicalinformation and provides codes and/or passwords to emergency personneland requires the emergency responders to access a third party and relaythe codes or passwords in order to find out the details of the person'smedical information. There would be a potentially life-threatening delayin such a process and it requires the personnel to use a form ofcommunications that may not be accessible.

There are also some implementations that incorporate microprocessors andelectronics to store the medical data and require some mechanism tointerface with the stored data. Such a system adds cost and complexityas well as a power source. In addition, electronics are susceptible todamage, especially if worn on a person. There are other systems thatimplant medical data within the person however some consider thesesystems to be intrusive and undesirable.

What is needed, therefore, is some system of providing medical data tothose personnel that require it. There needs to be a way to captureenough information to be useful to the end-user and not merely contactdata. The data should be in a format that maintains the confidentialnature of the medical data and not easily discernable to everyone. And,the data should be presented in a manner that is easy to locate and easyto find.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A general embodiment of the present invention provides a jewelry orsimilar item having confidential data, such as personal and medicaldata, imparted upon the item in manner that is only intelligible topersonnel having appropriate equipment and authorization.

One embodiment of the invention is a system for obtaining personalinformation about a distressed person, including identifying a datacarrier coupled about the distressed person by an authorized party,wherein the data carrier contains encrypted data, and wherein theencrypted data represents at least some of the personal information,retrieving the encrypted data from the data carrier by the authorizedparty, processing the encrypted data on a computing device andunencrypting at least a portion of the encrypted data into unencryptedinformation, and communicating the unencrypted information to theauthorized party.

A further aspect includes wherein retrieving is performed by a scannercapable of reading at least one of data matrix, nanoengraving, magnetictrace, and invisible ink.

According to one embodiment, the data carrier is selected from at leastone of the group consisting of: card, watch, pendant, broach, necklace,medallion, earrings, eyeglasses, contact lens, body piercing item, ring,and bracelet.

An additional feature is wherein the portion of the encrypted dataavailable is predefined.

In one embodiment, communicating over a network to retrieve supplementalinformation about the distressed person.

The step of identifying may include at least one of the group consistingof: data carrier logo, data carrier shape, data carrier coloration, datacarrier design, data carrier textual message, invisible ink on the datacarrier, magnetic traces on the data carrier, notification by analerting company, and decal on a vehicle, residence or person.

Another aspect includes wherein the communicating includes at least oneof displaying the information, audio output of the information, andaudio/visual output of the information.

A further features is wherein the personal information includes at leastone of a name, social security number, age, sex, date of birth, address,telephone number, religion, emergency contact information, physicianinformation, allergies, prescriptions, blood type, medical conditions,implant details, health insurance provider, and health insurance plan.

Another embodiment includes wherein the computing device is a laptopcomputer, tablet PC, cell phone, and personal digital assistant (PDA).

A further aspect includes wherein the computing device is local to theparty.

A method for communicating confidential information about a distressedperson, including encrypting the confidential information into encrypteddata, affixing the encrypted data onto a data carrier, wherein the datacarrier is coupled about the person, providing a mechanism foridentifying the data carrier, in a distressed situation, locating thedata carrier by an authorized party, scanning the data carrier by theauthorized party and retrieving the encrypted data, processing theencrypted data into an authorized portion of confidential information,displaying the authorized portion of confidential information in agraphical user interface.

The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and,in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings,specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that thelanguage used in the specification has been principally selected forreadability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope ofthe inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a illustrates an accident scene showing an injured person beingattended to by emergency personnel.

FIG. 1b shows an item from the injured person bearing encryptedinformation that is read by a handheld scanner coupled to a computingdevice, according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2a-2h illustrates examples of the data carrier configured inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of a computing device and scanner with agraphical user interface according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4a-4d shows various perspective views of the formation of the datacarrier configured in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 depicts the processing of the system configured in accordancewith one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6a shows a display screen with a form field that is unpopulated,configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6b shows a display screen with a populated form field with the dataautomatically entered from scanning of the data carrier, configured inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 shows a handheld computing device with a graphical user displayconfigured in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram of a handheld retrieval system according toone embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1a and FIG. 1b an emergency scene is depicted whereina car accident 5 is shown as one example of a situation where thepresent invention is applicable. In this example, at the scene of anaccident a person 25 is distressed or injured and possibly unconsciousor otherwise not communicative in an intelligent fashion. An emergencyvehicle 10 at the accident scene would bring EMS or other medicalpersonnel 20. The medical personnel 20 would carry or have available atthe vehicle 10, a means for retrieving encrypted data 70 from a datacarrier 50 on the injured person 25.

The emergency personnel include any persons that would normally attendto distressed persons and have the scanning equipment. This wouldinclude at least EMS, fire and rescue, police, and those in the field ofattending to distressed persons such as hospitals and clinics.

While the description of FIG. 1 describes injury-related emergencysituations, other embodiment relates to less critical situations forpersons that are unable or unwilling to provide adequate information,which are defined herein as distressed persons. Children, elderly, thosewith medical conditions or under medication are sometimes unable to giverequired information in a timely manner, whether it is an emergencysituation or a non-emergency situation, such conditions are referred toherein as distressed situations. In situations that require suchinformation, the present invention allows an authorized user to quicklyobtain the data. Such authorized personnel can include at least schoolpersonnel such as a school nurse, nurses and physicians, and officepersonnel. Nursing homes, senior housing facilities, schools, and themeparks are some of the institutions that would benefit from the presentinvention.

A further embodiment relates to military, corporate and securityapplications. The present invention does not require the transmission ofdata via wireless or wired networks and thus provides an attractivealternative to such systems. Thus, the present invention is not limitedto only extracting medical data from distressed persons and otherembodiments are within the scope of the present invention.

An additional embodiment relates to correction facilities, prisons,detention centers, and related holding facilities wherein the datacarrier can be affixed to a person such that it can only be removed byauthorized personnel. Such ankle bracelets are currently used for homedetention. The data carrier of the present invention can be integratedonto the non-removable data carrier and allow for quick and simpleidentification of such persons.

According to one embodiment, a scanner 30 is coupled to a computingdevice 35, such as a laptop computer, having a screen display, inputmechanisms such as a mouse and/or keyboard, and attachable peripheraldevices such as the scanner 30. It should be readily apparent that thepresent invention is not limited to a laptop computer and variouscomputing device may be implemented such as tablet PC's, PalmPilots,personal digital assistants (PDAs), cell phones, and similar deviceshaving some processing capability and some mechanism to input theencrypted information 70. According to the depicted embodiment, thescanner 30 is a separate component that is wired to the computing device35. The scanner 30 can also be a wireless device wherein the scanner 30would read the encrypted data 70 and transmit to the computing device 35for subsequent processing. As detailed herein, another variationincludes the scanner being a self-contained unit having amicroprocessor, display screen, and power source built into the unit forscanning, processing and displaying the data.

An algorithm is used to securely extract the person's information fromthe encrypted data carrier 50. The person's information may include, forexample, such details as name, date of birth, address, emergency contactinformation, primary care physicians, allergies, and medications. Thereis ample room for any helpful and useful information to be securelycontained on a data carrier 50 and safely and securely extracted by thescanner 30 and processed/displayed by the computing device 35 to theauthorized personnel 20. According to one embodiment, the algorithm iscapable of decrypting any of the various methods used to encrypt theinformation on the data carrier.

The extracted information can be displayed or communicated in severalways. For example, the data can be displayed on a display screen of alaptop, PDA and other computing device. The information can also beprocessed and communicated in an audible format or some combination ofaudio/visual.

In one variation, health insurance information may be securely stored onthe data carrier 50 allowing the health insurance provider informationto be associated immediately with the injured person 25. As detailedherein, the processing system can be established with certain levels ofsecurity such that certain personnel may only retrieve a portion of theencrypted data.

A further variation employs wireless technology such that the scannersystem 30, whether having a scanner coupled to a computing device or aself-contained scanner, the scanned information is transmitted toanother location. The scanned information can be processed at the otherlocation, such as the ambulance, hospital or other database provider,and the secure information would be transmitted back to the scene of theaccident for the authorized personnel 20.

As demonstrated in recent events such as hurricane Katrina and theterrorist attacks of the World Trade Center, communications aredisrupted. Unlike other systems that require a link to a centralizeddatabase to ascertain the required information, the present inventionprovides for processing of the encrypted data on-site and immediatelyobtains the data. The processing can be done on-site since the decodingalgorithm would typically be resident on the computing device. The localtransmission of the data, for example, from a wireless reader to aprocessing unit still does not employ a satellite or network datatransmission to a database to identify the person and then are-transmission back to the end-user with the requested information. Theprocessing unit processes the encrypted data without such a retrievalmechanism. As noted herein, the computing device can be local to theauthorized party such that it is either in-hand or located nearby suchas in the emergency vehicle.

A further embodiment of the invention is an alerting mechanism, such asa small icon or symbol 60 on the data carrier 50, alerting medicalpersonnel that the article is encrypted with personal and healthinformation. In another embodiment, the data carrier system employsexisting articles of the person and the medical and personal informationis affixed to the article. The existing article can be engraved orembossed with the data as well as the logo. Alternatively, the data andlogo can be placed onto adhesive backed materials and affixed to theexisting article.

The data carrier 50 in one embodiment is a piece of jewelry, although itcould be configured as any item capable of being engraved or printedwith coded data 70. One embodiment employs metals such as sterlingsilver and gold providing aesthetic beauty along with the usefulinformation.

Referring to FIG. 2a -FIG. 2h , various data carriers are illustrated.The data carriers can be new articles that would be obtained by anindividual and the medical and/or personal information would be affixedto the article. In other embodiments, the encrypted data is affixed toexisting articles wherein the engraving/printing can be done atauthorized centers or processed at authorized centers and shipped. Byway of one example, if a person wanted to place the encrypted data on apocket watch, there can be a form or on-line screen to obtain thedesired information. The item would be engraved and shipped accordingly.

Referring to the necklace 210 with the medallion 215 in FIGS. 2a and 2bthe front and back perspectives are shown. In one embodiment, the frontof the medallion 215 includes a logo or symbol identifying that thebracelet has data information however it may also be just decorative.Such encrypted information 200 is depicted on FIG. 2b on the back of themedallion 215. In this embodiment the encrypted data 215 is visible,although unintelligible without the scanner and processing by thealgorithm. While the front is shown to be decorative, it is also withinthe scope of the invention to have the encrypted data be depicted on thefront thereby easily identifying the data carrier.

FIGS. 2c and 2d show the data carrier as a bracelet 220 that can be forexample, a wrist or ankle bracelet. One side of the bracelet 225 can beornamental and/or it can identify itself as a data carrier by a symbol,logo, or other identifier. On the other side of the bracelet can be theencrypted data 200.

A wrist watch 230 is shown in FIGS. 2e and 2f , wherein on the displayside there is an engraving done using nanotechnology. In thisembodiment, the watch 230 can be a designated data carrier watch that iseasily identifiable by others wherein the encrypted data 235 requires areader to discern the data. As shown in FIG. 2f , the encrypted data 200can be affixed to the back surface of the watch 230.

Other data carriers shown in FIG. 2g include religious items such as across 240 that can include the encrypted data 245 which may be visibleor not visible, such as printed/engraved by nanotechnology. A furtherdata carrier includes a ring 250 wherein the encrypted data 255 can bedisposed on the outer surface. The ring itself can be a speciallydesigned ring 250 such that it serves as an identifier. The data itselfcan be visible, or it can be invisible such as magnetic traces,invisible ink, or nanoengravings.

According to one embodiment, the data carrier has some form ofidentifier so that emergency personnel can easily locate the carrier.For example, the data carrier can have a symbol, coloration, design,shape, logo, or be configured in such manner as to be distinguishable.In one embodiment the data carrier is worn in a certain manner thatenables identification. It is within the scope of the invention for thedata carrier to be a new social trend akin to the Livestrong® bracelets.With proper training, authorized persons should be able to identify thedata carrier either by viewing the encrypted data or by identifying someindicator that it is a data carrier.

The present invention tries to incorporate the encrypted data into itemsthat are normally carried or worn by people, such as jewelry andwatches. Examples of data carriers include at least a nametag, bracelet,pendant, necklace, medallion, cross, watch, chokers, ring, medal, charmbracelet, and broach. Other possible data carriers include eyeglasses,earrings, body piercing items, and contact lenses. A temporary datacarrier is useful, for example, at large theme parks where lost childrencan be quickly identified and reunited with parents. While there arenumerous child locater systems, most are complicated systems employingsophisticated electronics that rely upon satellite and wirelesstechnology that extracts data from a central database. And, it requiresthe user to have a specific electronic device that is worn, ingested orembedded on the person.

The data carrier in one embodiment will hold an individual's personaldetails and medical information, collectively called personalinformation, including, but not limited to, verifying descriptor, vitalinformation, medical conditions and history, current medications,primary care physician, medical insurance carrier, and emergency contactinformation. There are certain advantages to having the data readilyaccessible on the person as opposed to being hidden or stored somewhereon the person. However, the confidential personal and medicalinformation should not be readily discernable to others.

FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the scanning system 300 including thescanner head 320 coupled by a wire 325 to a computing device 305, whichin this example is a laptop. In this wired version, the scanner head canbe lightweight and inexpensive as the electronics and power are on thecomputing device. The wire 325 should be long enough to provide accessto a person which depends upon the intended usage. The display 310 showsan example of typical fields of data that can be extracted and read bythe system 300. Such fields include name, date of birth, blood type,allergies, implants, existing medical conditions, medications,physician, physician contact details, emergency contact, social securitynumber and health care provider.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there are several levelsof information that can be extracted from the data carrier. Thealgorithm resident on the computing device will only be able tounencrypt the portion of information relevant to that person. Forexample, an EMS may be authorized to obtain all the medical data butwould be unable to access certain personal data such as social securitynumber and health care details. A health care administration person maybe able to access certain details such as social security and healthplan coverage but would not be able to access certain medical history.Similarly, other personal, medical and financial data on a single datacarrier can have usage restrictions based on the algorithm on thecomputing device. The algorithm itself can be installed or replaced byanother algorithm such as by a download. According to one embodiment theauthorization levels are predefined and established on the computingdevice that performs the scanning process. There may be multiple levelson a single system with some security mechanism such as password orbiometric to ensure proper authorization.

FIGS. 4a-4d illustrates one embodiment for the encrypted data 420,wherein a data matrix method of data encoding is described. The datamatrix methodology is one of the smallest and most dependable barcodesymbologies. A data matrix is an area efficient 2D (two dimensional)barcode symbology that uses a unique perimeter pattern which helps thebarcode scanner determine the cell locations. The cells are made up ofsquare modules and it can encode letters, numbers, text and actual bytesof data. The data matrix technology can encode just about anythingincluding text characters, unicode characters and photos. It is commonlyused to encode data from a few digits to several hundred digits. Theencoding and decoding process of data matrix is relatively complex andincludes sophisticated error correction. There are various standardscommittees and guidelines such as ECC200 from the ANSI/AIM BC11 andISO/IEC 16022 specifications. The latest technology supports advancedencoding and error checking with error correction algorithms such asReed Solomon. In certain embodiment these algorithms allow therecognition of barcodes that are up to 60% damaged.

There are a number of companies employing encoding/decoding technologiesand the data matrix in this embodiment is a 2-dimensional barcode thatcan be either engraved or printed on an object and contains largeamounts of information in a relatively small area. In the case where thedata carrier is jewelry, the information can be laser engraved in aninconspicuous location, typically on the backside, in the form of a datamatrix (2-dimensional barcode). The amount of information required foran individual will determine the size or particular style of jewelryappropriate for the individual.

Referring again to FIG. 4a-4d , the information is digitized into squaremodules, or cells 420, and can be placed in discrete locations withinthe matrix to facilitate scanning. Placing the data into discretelocations is used to improve the speed of acquisition and the accuracyof retrieval of the data as there are sequences with respect to the datapoints, much as in Code 39 (standard barcodes), where the line spacing,width and surrounding “quiet zones” are used for recognition. There canbe border patterns 400, 410 used to help identify the informationcontained in the cells 420. This makes it an extremely efficient2-dimensional barcode using unique perimeter patterns 400, 410 to helpthe scanner determine cell locations. In essence, the borders define thedata storage area, serving as “anchors” or reference points for thescanning system. The solid border 400 shown in FIG. 4a and the brokenborder 410 in FIG. 4b illustrate some of the perimeter patterns that canbe employed to aid in the scanner capture and interpretation of the datafrom the cells 420. FIG. 4d shows a complete representation of the datamatrix including the perimeter patterns 400, 410 and data 420.

As the information can be vital, it is important that the encrypted databe accurately retrieved. In the data matrix embodiment, misreading ofinformation occurs in only one (1) in 10.5 million scans, and is capableof encoding anywhere from a few digits up to several hundred digits in asingle matrix. The encoding and decoding of the data matrix is complex,but with error correction the data information can be accurately readwith up to 60% damage to the cells in the matrix.

There are various engraving processes used for forming encrypted data onarticles. As noted herein, the encrypted data can be formed on newarticles such as bracelets and watches and also on existing articles.One embodiment is a secure Web based interface for obtaining andupdating the person's medical data. The articles can be engraved withthe data and shipped to the person for the ordering of new articles.Updating information or encoding information on a person's existingarticles can be done via shipping to an authorized representative thathas access to the secure database.

The engraving process can be performed by a computer-controlled lasersuch as a YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet) or Nd:YAG (Neodymium doped YAG)lasers, which are very high powered solid-state lasers capable ofengraving on a wide variety of materials, such as steel, aluminum,platinum, gold, silver, plastics, glass. The person's information can bedownloaded into a computer by scanning an OCR (Optical CharacterRecognition) form, electronically imported from another source orprogram, or even manually entered. The data computer, which could alsobe the laser controller, will encrypt the information and reformat itinto an encrypted format such as an engravable I.D. matrix. If the datacompilation computer is not the laser controller, the formatted file canbe transferred to the laser controller either through some type ofnetwork connection or removable storage media. The item to be engravedwill then be positioned for engraving by the laser. There are a numberof lasers and related technology that all within the scope of thepresent invention.

Alternately, if the item to be marked is not suitable for YAG engraving,for example certain flexible materials such as paper, labels, oradhesive tapes, a laser printer of sufficient print resolution may besubstituted as the marking instrument. Substrate suitability for theapplication with respect to durability and contrast is one considerationfor employing such materials.

A further printing method employs an ink that is not visible byexcitation in the visible spectrum which is substituted for a visibleink. This “invisible ink” requires excitation by either UV(ultraviolet), heat (thermochromic) or IR (infrared) excitation in orderto be scanned and read. This method expands the acceptance of the systemto a great number of items not presently under consideration foraesthetic reasons. For example, the logo or identifier can be designatedin visible ink so that the personnel would know that the medicalinformation is inscribed in the invisible ink and the location of thedata can be established by the location of the logo. Regardless of themethod employed, items will be scanned after marking to ensure the dataretrieval system functions properly and there are no errors in the data.

Engraving/marking of existing jewelry articles requires specificprocedures and methods such as liability for damage to heirlooms orprecious personal items. The “invisible ink” or other non-visible systemmay be preferable in these items. Applying the data to existing jewelrymarking requires a scheme for being able to apply an acceptable,inconspicuous indication that the item contains medical information.

In another embodiment, the data carrier article utilizes an applicationof magnetic material to generate the data cells and create a discretemagnetic response in a similar fashion to the optical characterizationdescribed herein. The encrypted portion therefore might not be visible,and would not detract from any aesthetic qualities. A scanner/readerreads the magnetic pattern and the data is unencrypted by the algorithmas described herein.

The magnetically encoding traces can be subdivided into high and lowcoercivity, wherein low coercivity (soft magnets), allow themagnetization and reading of the magnetic traces or cells. Highcoercivity (Hard magnets), such as those used on credit cards, negatethe requirement for a reader that generates a field.

A further embodiment pertains to the use of nanotechnology. The datacarrier can be engraved or printed using nanoscale elements to generatethe data cells. Nanoengravers and nanoprinting devices can affix a datacarrier having an extremely small footprint yet contain a significantamount of detail. A nanoreader would extract the encrypted data from thedata carrier. The printing/engraving using nanotechnology allows allsuitable data to be placed in an extremely small area such as the sizeof a pinhead. This expands the field of the data carrier to very smallitems that may be carried by a person in normal activity and also berecognized as a data carrier. For example, earrings, body piercingitems, and even contact lenses can be employed in this fashion tocontain the nanocoded data that is then extracted by the nanoreader.Retrieving the encrypted nanotechnology data can include scanning thedata carrier with a lens array or other magnification system.

The code will typically contain the date when the information wascollected, giving some relative indication to healthcare personnel as tothe reliability of accuracy and currency of the information. The presentsystem may opt to query clients on a periodic basis eitherelectronically, through telephone interviews, or postal mailings, inorder to update medical information. However, maintaining up-to-dateinformation will largely be the responsibility of the subscriber totimely report changes in medical information. As changes are required toinformation for existing clients the present invention will offer ameans for customers to receive an expedited replacement or correcteddata carrier.

One embodiment of the system processing is depicted in FIG. 5, in anexample that commences with the location of a distressed person such asat the arrival of medical personnel at an emergency situation or oflocating an elderly person or child. The personnel needs to identify thedata carrier 510, such as by looking for the logo, symbol or otheridentifier as detailed herein.

There are a variety of mechanisms to alert the staff, professionals andemergency personnel that a person has encrypted medical data accordingto the teachings of the present invention. Firstly, a conscious patientcan verbally inform personnel of the data carrier. The present inventioncan provide alerting decals with an appropriate logo that is affixed ina specific location on a vehicle or residence to indicate the medicaldata is on the patient. The logo can also be engraved or affixed to thedata carrier such as a bracelet. Furthermore, the present system can bedeployed having relationships with alerting and safety companies such asOnstar® for vehicles and A.D.T.® and similar home monitoring companies,which alert emergency personnel of medical emergencies at the home or inthe vehicle. These various resources increase the likelihood that aperson that is rendered unconscious or incoherent can have their medicaldata properly communicated to those personnel that respond.

Once the personnel locate the data carrier, the data carrier is scannedin order to retrieve the encrypted information 515. The scanned data isthen processed by an algorithm that processes/unencrypts 520 at leastsome of the encrypted scanned data according to the authorization levelof the user. Once the data retrieved, it is communicated to the user 525such as by a display on the screen, audibly or in print form. The usercan promptly begin to assist the distressed person armed withinformation about the person, including allergy information and otherpertinent data.

Data retrieval in one embodiment utilizes a 2-dimensional barcodescanner. This can be a handheld laser reader designed to capture theinformation in the matrix and convert it to a readable text format suchas ASCII or C40. The C40 system is used to encode data that mainlycontains numeric and upper case characters, wherein the C40 encodesthree alphanumeric data characters into two bytes. Compared to otherbarcode types, the Data Matrix is approximately 30 times smaller than aCode 39 barcode representing the same data. There are various other dataencryption types as known by those skilled in the art.

The data acquisition is accomplished in one embodiment by holding thedevice a few inches from the barcode or data matrix then squeezing thetrigger on the “gun”. The data carrier is generally easily accessible onthe person and in some embodiments it could be removed or positioned foreasy reading.

When the trigger is depressed, laser light illuminates the matrix andcontrast images corresponding to the location of the cells previouslymentioned is reflected back to the gun. In one embodiment the digitalinformation corresponding to the contrast image is relayed to a dataprocessing device containing specific software to convert the digitalinformation to readable text for display on a monitor or to be printedout as a hard copy. The information can also be communicated audibly.

In one embodiment the data processing device, such as a laptop, tablet,computer, or other computing device, powers the scanner “gun” through acable connecting the gun to a port on the computing device such as a USBport. When the computing device is initially powered up and the scanneris properly connected, a series of beeps can be used to indicate thatthe scanner is connected and ready for use. Light emitting diodes (LEDs)and other alerting mechanisms can be used to signify that the scanner isready for use.

Another option is use of a battery-powered gun/scanner that transmitsdata to the processing hardware via IR, wireless, or other non-discretetechnology. The processing hardware can reside in a computing devicesuch as a tablet PC, personal digital assistant (PDA) or similar typecomputing device that has the wireless connectivity, memory andmicrocontroller. As previously noted, the system also requires somedisplay or audio/visual mechanism to convey the medical information tothe attending medical personnel. The computing device can display theinformation or otherwise output the data in print or audible means.

As described herein, a further variation is to have the informationdisplayed on the scanner device itself. The scanner can have amicrocontroller and decode the encrypted data or the information can bereceived by the scanner from a computing device. The scanner can have asmall display, an audible output and/or a printer mechanism. Anotherdata retrieval mechanism is possible by having the data decoded by acomputing device and communicated automatically or manually to themedical personnel via a radio, cellular phone, walkie-talkie or similardevice.

If the medical personnel cannot quickly locate a data carrier, theperson is checked to determine if there are alternative plans 540 thatcan be used to obtain medical data about the person. The person can besearched to try to locate medical data or the vehicle may have usefulinformation about the person or an emergency contact may be located. Ifthe emergency personnel are able to determine how such medical data canbe obtained 345, then they can obtain certain medical information 550,and the medical professional can finally begin proper treatment 555.

If there is no alternative system for gathering medical information, theemergency responder can attempt to elicit information manually 560 fromthe distressed person or someone nearby. It may take additional time toprocess such data 565 and ultimately begin treatment 570.

Speed and prompt care is essential in most emergencies. Delays in tryingto retrieve medical information or commencing with medical assistancewithout medical history can contribute to medical problems.

If there are no easily discernable mechanisms for the retrieval of themedical data, the medical professional can begin the process of manuallygathering data or administering treatment without any knowledge of thedistressed person.

FIG. 6a shows a display screen 610 from a computing device 600 withunpopulated data fields including name, contact, blood type, allergies,medications, medical implants, existing medical conditions, primary carephysician, emergency contact information, social security number, andinsurance provider. Additional and varied information can be easilyimplemented for particular requirements. FIG. 6b displays the datafields on the display 620 populated after scanning the data carrier andprocessing the encrypted data. In this particular embodiment, the datareader is wireless and the computing device 600 employs wirelesstechnology to retrieve the encrypted data.

As the data is typically confidential, the system according to oneembodiment employs processes that include the generation of encrypteddata carriers and implementation of data retrieval or processing usingsoftware capable of reading at least some of the encrypted data. Thepresent invention engraves or encodes the information on the datacarrier in a manner such that the data can be accurately and easilyretrieved and utilized by the personnel. The scanners and associatedalgorithms for the decoding processing would be limited to authorizedindividuals.

In the process of encoding the information, the information will also beencrypted to prevent unauthorized retrieval and use of information andcan establish access parameters according to a ‘need to know’ basis. Thepurpose of this encryption scheme and access is to comply with PrivacyLaws and HIPPA regulations, allowing only authorized healthcareproviders to access to retrieve certain sensitive information. This alsoprovides the added benefit that a lost or stolen data carrier isrendered useless to unauthorized data retrieval by individuals withcriminal intent.

Depending upon the encryption scheme employed, decryption for the dataprocessing portion of the system is required. The data processingsoftware, in addition to the decryption component, can also convert thedigital information captured by the scanner into a text file (i.e. ASCIIor C40) capable of being displayed in a variety of visual andaudio/visual formats such as formatted text display on a computer screenor printed to obtain a hard copy of the information contained in thematrix. Formatting of the readable text display via software allows morevariable information to be stored in a similarly sized matrix versus amatrix that contains, for example, field titles, and punctuation.

As noted herein, there are several techniques to establish authorizationfor the dissemination of the confidential information. One mechanism toestablish levels of authorization is to have the software in the systemonly display authorized fields. Another method is to have the algorithmonly process certain data depending upon the authorization. A furtherembodiment is to have different scanner heads such that a scanner headwould only be able to read certain confidential data. Furthermore, theconfidential data can be encoded in more than one format or style suchthat certain scanners would only be able to read certain portions of thedata.

Controlled distribution of the decryption software to authorizedgovernment and local EMS services, hospitals, clinics, and physician'soffices prevents personal information from being illegally obtained byunauthorized parties, thereby instilling client comfort in the overallsystem. The software would be licensed to authorized parties and employproper security mechanisms such as passwords and encryption asnecessary, and may include biometrics and similar technology to controldissemination of data.

Referring to FIG. 7, a handheld device 700 may include the ability tointegrate a scanner or reader 730 into the device, as opposed to therequirement of separate scanning and processing hardware. In thisembodiment, the handheld device 700 is a wireless unit that has a powersource such as a rechargeable battery, a microprocessor, memory(typically RAM and hard drive), a user interface and some form ofdisplay. There are numerous types of devices, such as PDA's and cellphones, having various hardware characteristics and features that can bemodified to include certain elements of the present invention.

In one embodiment a scanner head 730 can be integrated into the device700 so that it can directly read the data carrier. The processing unitcan invoke the algorithm stored on the system to unencrypt at least aportion of the read data for which the user has authorization. Controlof the device includes using various menu buttons 740 as well as touchscreen, keypad, external keyboard, external mouse, and voice commands.Such unencrypted data is then communicated to the end user such as by adisplay 720 or other audio or audio/visual means.

In another embodiment, the device 700 has a camera 710 that is used totake a picture or image of the encrypted data. The camera may haveenhanced imaging to provide sufficient magnification. The device 700includes OCR processing to identify the symbols and the symbols are thenprocessed with the algorithm to unencrypt the encrypted data. Theunencrypted data is then displayed to the authorized user.

For security purposes, the device 700 can employ passwords and/orbiometric identification to ensure that only the authorized user isextracting the data. The device 700 can include various known techniquesto provide security and authentication. The system may also incorporatevarious mechanisms to ensure that such unencrypted data is notpermanently stored on the unit. A timer, counter or other flag can beused to invoke a delete program to remove certain portions of the data.A further variation is to employ flash memory for storing such data sothat information is purged when the unit is turned off.

Also within the scope of the present invention is a scanner unit thatsimply reads the encrypted data carrier and stores the data into memory.There would be a docking station wherein this scanner unit would coupleand download the scanned data for further processing.

Referring to FIG. 8, a hardware block diagram noting some of theelements of a wireless handheld retrieval system 800 is shown. In thiswireless embodiment, there is a microprocessor 805 that controls thevarious functions and features. A power source 810, typically arechargeable battery provides power to the microprocessor and otherelements that require power. There are one or more input devices 825 forinterfacing with the device 800 such as a touchscreen, voice control,keypad and buttons. A mouse and/or external keyboard can be coupled tothe device 800 by one of the ports, such as a USB port. The display 820shows the graphical user interface and can display the various menus andfeatures available to the user for both hardware and software.

There is at least one memory type for the device and may include randomaccess memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, and diskmemory. There are some software functions such as operating system anddrivers that are required for the system to operate. While someresources require permanent memory, other resources, such as cachedInternet webpages only require temporary memory. In one embodiment,certain medical is stored in flash memory such that once the deviceloses power the information is lost.

The device 800 may further include audio functionality 835 such asproviding audio output of data or audio instructions from a doctor. Thedevice may also include a voice recorder to record audio aspects of theevent. Such audio information can be saved on the memory or transmittedby the wireless communication 830. A further embodiment includes voicecontrol features such that the user can control certain functions of thedevice 800 using spoken commands. The speaker and microphone can beintegrated within the device and/or have jacks for coupling suchcomponents.

A camera 840 can also be incorporated with the device 800 to providecertain additional features. The camera 840 can cooperate with the audiooptions 835 to provide an audio/video capture. The camera can also beused to capture the scene and/or take pictures or clips of the person toassist in any medical attention. In one embodiment the camera 840includes sufficient imaging magnification such that it can readnanoengravings/nanoprinting that can be processed by the microprocessor805 and unencrypted.

As noted herein, the scanner can be integral with the device 800 orseparately coupled, however in both cases it would be coupled to themicroprocessor 805 in some fashion. A printer can be another peripheraldevice that can be coupled to the system 800 and allow printing ofcertain information.

According to one embodiment, the device 800 is able to obtain immediatepersonal and medical data by processing the encrypted data withouthaving to access a database over a network. The user can then begintreatment and also employ the wireless interface 830 that can provideInternet access, cellular communications and secure access to a networkand database. This secondary access to a database may provide additionalinformation about the distressed person. The wireless access also allowsthe user to communicate with a third party such as doctor, or to look upadditional information on the Internet as well as forward messages,data, as well as audio, video, or audio/video information to anotherperson by email or a secure communication channel. The use of securecommunication channels is well known in the art and within the scope ofthe invention.

Another embodiment of the present invention is a system that utilizesexisting technology enabling emergency personnel such as EmergencyMedical Services (EMS) Technicians to extract required information atthe scene of an accident so they may properly care for an injuredindividual. The distressed person can be unconscious, dazed or unable toprovide coherent information. The information may also be obtained inother facilities and situations such as hospitals, walk-in clinics,nursing homes, and private medical practices to retrieve patientinformation via the external data carrier.

In one aspect, the processing hardware consists of the scanner “gun” andcomputer system with display mechanism, with an operating system andsufficient system requirements to run software for readable text output.An additional output device such as a printer or audio output is withinthe scope of the invention.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has beenpresented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formdisclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light ofthis disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the invention belimited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for providing health-related informationabout a person, comprising: a data carrier configured to be carried uponor by the person; a two-dimensional barcode linked to the health-relatedinformation, the two-dimensional barcode being displayed upon the datacarrier; and an algorithm configured to program a microprocessor towirelessly relay information obtained from the two-dimensional barcodeby optically imaging the two-dimensional barcode via a wireless device.2. A system for providing health-related, information about a person,comprising: a data carrier configured to be carried upon or by theperson; a two-dimensional barcode displayed upon the data carrier,wherein the data carrier is configured to be recognizable as indicatinga presence of the two-dimensional barcode; an algorithm configured toprogram a microprocessor to image the two-dimensional barcode via awireless device such that the health-related information about theperson is wirelessly relayed to a third party.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the wireless device comprises a laptop computer, tablet, cellphone, or personal digital assistant configured for optical detection.4. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is located at aremote location.
 5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an alertindication configured to indicate a presence of the health-relatedinformation.
 6. The system of claim 2, wherein the wireless devicecomprises a laptop computer, tablet, cell phone, or personal digitalassistant configured for optical detection.
 7. The system of claim 2,wherein the microprocessor is located at a remote server.
 8. A systemfor providing health-related information about a person, comprising: atwo-dimensional barcode linked to the health-related information,wherein the two-dimensional barcode is configured to be visiblydisplayed; and an algorithm configured to program a microprocessor toprocess the two-dimensional barcode by optically imaging thetwo-dimensional barcode via a wireless device.
 9. The system of claim 8,wherein the wireless device comprises a laptop computer, tablet, cellphone, or personal digital assistant configured for optical detection.10. The system of claim 8, further comprising an alert indicationconfigured to alert another person of the presence of the health-relatedinformation.
 11. The system of claim 8, wherein access to thehealth-related information associated with the two-dimensional barcodeis password protected.
 12. The system of claim 8, wherein themicroprocessor is located at a remote location.
 13. A method ofproviding health-related information about a person, comprising:scanning a two-dimensional barcode associated with the health-relatedinformation with a wireless device; processing the scanned information,wherein processing the scanned information comprises using an algorithmconfigured to program a microprocessor to wirelessly relay informationobtained from the two-dimensional barcode; and displaying thehealth-related information corresponding to the scanned information onthe wireless device.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying thehealth-related information comprises displaying the health relatedinformation after entering a passcode.
 15. The method of claim 13,wherein the wireless device comprises a laptop computer, tablet, cellphone, or personal digital assistant configured for optical detection.16. The method of claim 13, wherein processing the scanned informationcomprises wirelessly transmitting the scanned information via thewireless device.
 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the scannedinformation is processed at a location remote from the wireless device.18. A method of providing health-related information about a person,comprising: obtaining the health-related information; generating atwo-dimensional barcode based on the obtained health-relatedinformation, wherein the two-dimensional barcode is configured to bevisibly displayed; displaying the two-dimensional barcode, andprocessing the displayed two-dimensional barcode using an algorithmconfigured to program a microprocessor to wirelessly relay informationobtained from the two-dimensional barcode.
 19. The method of claim 18,wherein obtaining the health-related information comprises wirelesslyobtaining the health-related information.
 20. The method of claim 18,wherein generating the two-dimensional barcode comprises encrypting thehealth-related information.
 21. The method of claim 18, furthercomprising displaying an alert indication configured to be recognizableas indicating a presence of the health-related information.
 22. Themethod of claim 18, further comprising password protecting access to thehealth-related information associated with the two-dimensional barcode.